Category: Gear

Main blade, nail file with screwdriver tip, scissors, tweezers, and toothpick: the Victorinox Classic SD Swiss Army Knife is a marvel of design in a lightweight form factor respected by long distance hikers. I do not really need the toothpick, though, so can something else go in that slot? The plastic toothpick is roughly 1.75 inches long x 0.12 inches wide x 0.047 inches thick.

FireSteel.com sells blank rods of ferrocerrium in various sizes, including the FireSteel Tiny, 1/8 x 2 inches, at less than US$1.00 per rod. 1/8 inch is close to the width of the toothpick, so we just need to grind down one side flat, grind down most of the opposite side to a thickness of 0.047 inches. We must leave a thick tip at one end as with the plastic toothpick, to allow fingers to remove the gadget from the handle of the knife.

Continue reading “Knife Upgrade”

… You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need

— Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Rolling Stones

 

.	Category	Item	Notes	Weight in grams	Weight in oz
.	worn/carried
.		camp shirt	Icebreaker merino long sleeve crew	171	6.0
.		pants	RailRiders Eco-Mesh Pant	310	10.9
.		trailrunner shoes	Merrell Moab Ventilator	992	35.0
.		hiking gaiters	Dirty Girl	34	1.2
.		insole inserts	green SuperFeet	106	3.7
.		hiking socks	REI mid-calf merino	91	3.2
.		knee brace	Cho-Pat Dual Action Knee Strap
.		bandana	AT logo cotton/poly bandana	30	1.1
.		trekking poles	Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z-pole with carbide tips minus straps	263	9.3
.		sun glasses		20	0.7
.		hat	Sunday Afternoons Adventure flap hat	70	2.5
.
.	Total worn/carried			2087	73.6
.
.				pounds:	4.6
.
.
.	pack	pack	ZPacks Arc Blast backpack	440	15.5
.		pack liner	trash compactor bag	60	2.1
.		cell phone holder	Zpacks cuben fiber shoulder pouch	8	0.3
.		phone	Android phone: MotoX (camera, GPS, etc)	136	4.8
.
.	Cook/water	water bottles	2 x 1.25 liter soda bottles	84	3.0
.		even more water	1 liter Platypus	30	1.1
.		cook stove	Trail Designs Caldera Sidewinder TiTri with Gram Cracker for Esbit fuel	21	0.7
.		butane lighter	Scripto Tiny Lite	12	0.4
.		cook pot	0.3Liter Evernew Titanium mug-pot with lid	74	2.6
.		pot cozy	homemade with Reflectix	25	0.9
.		spoon	lexan	9	0.3
.		water purifier	Sawyer Mini	81	2.9
.		water purification backup	10 MSR Aquatabs	1	0.0
.		food bag	ZPacks Roll Top Blast	40	1.4
.		rope	ZPacks 1.5 mm Z-Line Cord	21	0.7
.
.	Shelter	tarp/tent	ZPacks Hexamid solo tent w/screen	269	9.5
.		tent stakes	6 Tite Lite titanium stakes	37	1.3
.		tent stakes	1 titanium V Stake	9	0.3
.
.	Sleeping	sleeping bag	ZPacks 20F	650	22.9
.		sleeping pad	Gossamer Gear NightLight_Torso	101	3.6
.		ground cloth	Polycryo medium size	42	1.5
.
.	Clothes	camp shirt	Icebreaker merino short sleeve	139	4.9
.		camp shorts	GoLite men’s nylon shorts	132	4.7
.		warm top	Western Mountaineering down vest	125	4.4
.		warm hat	LLBean Trail Model fleece hat	36	1.3
.		rain jacket	GoLite Malpais Trinity	217	7.7
.		wind shirt	Montbell Tachyon anorak	63	2.2
.		fleece gloves	LLBean Polartec Liner Gloves (with AnyGlove on forefingers and thumbs)	38	1.3
.		rain mitts	ZPacks cuben fiber mitts	28
.		compression socks	Truform below knee stockings 20-30 mmHg	64	2.3
.		spare socks	SmartWool mid-calf merino	91	3.2
.
.	Misc	head net	“Sea to Summit” mosquito net, doubles as clothes bag	23	0.8
.		first aid kit	band-aids, molefoam, aspirin, loperamide, sudafed, super glue, …	61	2.2
.		sewing kit	home assembled	20	0.7
.		tooth care	dehydrated dots of toothpaste, toothbrush with trimmed handle, gum brush, floss	17	0.6
.		soap	Dr Bonner liquid in 0.5oz dropper bottle	24	0.8
.		wipes	8 dried wipes in zip bag	24	0.8
.		toiletry bag	no-see-um mesh bag 5″x6″	4	0.1
.		magnifying glass	credit card size fresnel lens	2	0.1
.		wallet with id	all-Ett sport sailcloth wallet (5g) plus cards	36	1.3
.		repair kit	duct tape, foil tape, etc	25	0.9
.		backup fire starter	Bic mini lighter	14	0.5
.		pen	ballpoint refill cartridge + spare	1	0.0
.		flashlight	Petzl e+Lite	27	1.0
.		backup compass	Suunto Clipper compass	4	0.1
.		maps	Ley maps, double-sided 8.5×11, current trail section	55	1.9
.		solar charger	Harbor Freight 5W folding solar panel, trimmed	240	8.5
.		usb charger	for phone and battery pack, Apple travel charger 5W wall wart	23	0.8
.		usb cable	9inch microUSB cable	13	0.5
.		recharger pack	Jackery Mini 3200mAh	82	2.9
.		headphone	Apple Earpod	11	0.4
.		itinerary+guide	only carry pages needed for that week	10	0.4
.		insect repellent	100% DEET repackaged in 0.5oz dropper bottle	23	0.8
.		sun screen	liquid, repacked in 0.5oz dropper bottle	24	0.8
.		toilet paper	partial roll, remove cardboard tube, in zip bag	20	0.7
.		knife	Victoronix Swiss Army Classic	20	0.7
.		accessory bag	no-see-um mesh bag 7″x9″	8	0.3
.
.	Total base weight			3894	137.4
.
.				pounds:	8.6
.
.
.	Sometimes carried
.
.		rain pants		233	8.2
.		shoe traction	Yak Trax Pro	144	5.1
.		neck gaiter	microfleece	46	1.6

Stove: No-cook sounds promising, but for frigid Colorado I was glad to bring a stove for hot dinners. Esbit fuel is easier to mail than alcohol, allowed in flat-rate Priority Mail boxes, though Heet is available in several Colorado trail town. Compared to alcohol, Esbit has an odor and leaves a residue on pots. I burned Esbit tabs exclusively on this trip as an experiment, and might continue solid fuel for future hikes. Continue reading “CDT 2014 CO Gear List”

Agatha Clay: People keep giving me rings, but I think a small death ray might be more practical.
— “Agatha Heterodyne and the Clockwork Princess”, by Phil and Kaja Foglio

 

.	Category	Item	Notes	Weight in grams	Weight in oz
.	worn/carried
.		camp shirt	SmartWool Microweight long sleeve crew	171	6.0
.		pants	RailRiders Eco-Mesh Pant	310	10.9
.		trailrunner shoes	Merrell Moab Ventilator	992	35.0
.		hiking gaiters	Dirty Girl	34	1.2
.		insole inserts	green SuperFeet	106	3.7
.		hiking socks	REI mid-calf merino	91	3.2
.		knee brace	Cho-Pat Dual Action Knee Strap
.		bandana	AT logo cotton/poly bandana	30	1.1
.		trekking poles	Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z-pole with carbide tips minus straps	263	9.3
.		sun glasses		20	0.7
.		hat	Outdoor Research Helios sun hat	79	2.8
.
.	Total worn/carried			2096	73.9
.
.				pounds:	4.6
.
.
.	pack	pack	Zpacks Arc Blast backpack	440	15.5
.		pack liner	trash compactor bag	60	2.1
.		cell phone holder	Zpacks cuben fiber shoulder pouch	8	0.3
.		phone	Android phone: Defy XT 557 (camera, GPS, etc)	109	3.8
.
.	Cook/water	water bottles	2x 2 liter soda bottles	106	3.7
.		even more water	2x 1 liter Platypus	57	2.0
.		cook stove	Caldera system with alcohol stove in plastic cannister	133	4.7
.		fuel bottle	labeled 12oz soda bottle for methanol	22	0.8
.		butane lighter	Scripto Tiny Lite	12	0.4
.		cook pot	0.5Liter Evernew Titanium mug-pot with lid	74	2.6
.		pot cozy	homemade with Reflectix	25	0.9
.		spoon	lexan	9	0.3
.		water purifier	Sawyer Squeeze	81	2.9
.		water purification backup	repackaged Potable Aqua tablets	10	0.4
.		food bag	ZPacks Roll Top Blast	40	1.4
.		rope	ZPacks 1.5 mm Z-Line Cord	21	0.7
.
.	Shelter	tarp/tent	ZPacks Hexamid solo tent w/screen	269	9.5
.		tent stakes	6 Tite Lite titanium stakes	37	1.3
.		tent stakes	1 titanium V Stake	9	0.3
.
.	Sleeping	sleeping bag	Western Mountaineering SummerLite 32F	571	20.1
.		sleeping bag liner	Cocoon silk Mummy Liner	115	4.1
.		sleeping pad	Gossamer Gear NightLight_Torso	101	3.6
.		ground cloth	Polycryo medium size	42	1.5
.
.	Clothes	camp shirt	Icebreaker merino short sleeve	142	5.0
.		camp shorts	GoLite men’s nylon shorts	132	4.7
.		warm top	Western Mountaineering down vest	125	4.4
.		warm hat	LLBean Trail Model fleece hat	36	1.3
.		rain jacket	GoLite Malpais Trinity	217	7.7
.		wind shirt	Montbell Tachyon anorak	63	2.2
.		fleece gloves	LLBean Polartec Liner Gloves	38	1.3
.		compression socks	Truform calf length medium compression	42	1.5
.		spare socks	SmartWool mid-calf merino	91	3.2
.
.	Misc	head net	“Sea to Summit” mosquito net, doubles as clothes bag	23	0.8
.		first aid kit	band-aids, molefoam, aspirin, loperamide, sudafed, super glue, …	61	2.2
.		sewing kit	home assembled	20	0.7
.		tooth care	dehydrated dots of toothpaste, toothbrush with trimmed handle, gum brush, floss	17	0.6
.		soap	Dr Bonner liquid in 0.5oz dropper bottle	24	0.8
.		moist-wipes	8 wipes in zip bag	75	2.6
.		toiletry bag	no-see-um mesh bag 5″x6″	4	0.1
.		magnifying glass	credit card size fresnel lens	2	0.1
.		wallet with id	all-Ett sport sailcloth wallet (5g) plus cards	30	1.1
.		repair kit	duct tape, foil tape, sealer, etc	25	0.9
.		backup fire starter	Spark-Lite + 3 tinder wads	6	0.2
.		pen	ballpoint refill cartridge + spare	1	0.0
.		flashlight	Petzl e+Lite	27	1.0
.		backup compass	Suunto Clipper compass	4	0.1
.		maps	Ley maps, double-sided 8.5×11, current trail section	55	1.9
.		solar charger	Instapark M4S 4W folding solar panel with built-in 2,000 mAh battery pack	220	7.8
.		usb charger	for phone and battery pack, Apple travel charger	23	0.8
.		usb cable	9inch microUSB cable	13	0.5
.		recharger pack	mophie juice pack powerstation 4000mAh	128	4.5
.		headphone	earbud, not inside-ear	5	0.2
.		itinerary+guide	only carry pages needed for that week	10	0.4
.		insect repellent	100% DEET repackaged in 0.5oz dropper bottle	23	0.8
.		sun screen	liquid, repacked in 0.5oz dropper bottle	24	0.8
.		toilet paper	partial roll, remove cardboard tube, in zip bag	20	0.7
.		knife	Victoronix Swiss Army Classic	18	0.6
.		accessory bag	no-see-um mesh bag 7″x9″	8	0.3
.
.	Total base weight			4103	144.7
.
.				pounds:	9.0

Differences with the Appalachian Trail list:

• Water is scarce, with 20 miles to next reliable water source not uncommon in southern New Mexico, so a different pack capable of comfortably carrying 5 or 6 liters of water (over 10 pounds) a long distance is needed.
• The extra water is heavy, so my frameless Mariposa pack will not do.
• Available water is often turbid, which limits performance of UV water treatment. One of the new lightweight squeeze filters is used this trip.
• The CDT is often cold, with big drops in nighttime temperatures, so a warmer sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and clothing are desirable.
• With higher elevation and no “green tunnel”, sun exposure is greater. I decided to hike in long sleeve clothes, sun hat, and sunglasses. And a wide-brimmed hat is not sufficient to protect my face when hiking all day, so more sun screen is used.
• Fewer trail towns mean I need a better charging solution for cell phone(gps/camera/mp3 player/ebook reader/journal/audio recorder) and I tried a folding solar panel mounted on top of my pack.
• An electronic trail journal is now used in place of paper. I needed a better onscreen keyboard to get my typing rate up to an acceptable level. MessagEase is a free substitute keyboard that works for me, but has a really steep learning curve, so I needed to drill on the MessagEase Game every day from January to April before my trip. I might write about other phone apps useful for hiking in another post.

Equipment Experience

The light-weight merino long sleeve shirt worked fine as a camp shirt on the AT, but started wearing out when used as daytime clothing, especially under the pack straps. No amount of sewing kit repair could keep the shirt together by the final days of the trip.

One week I was running low on sun screen, having left my bottle at the last hotel. To keep my hands from burning I added thumb loops to my long-sleeved shirt. The seams at the wrist just happened to be placed in such a way as to keep my modification from ripping the material.

The solar panel with built-in battery pack was not enough to keep up with my cell phone charging requirements, so I also needed the external USB charger pack. I will try a different solar panel next year in hopes of not needing to supplement with my mophie. The solar panel was attached with mini side buckles sewn onto the panel fabric and backpack attachment straps, providing quick release to get access to the top opening of the pack.

Running gaiters kept small rocks and sand out of my shoes, so I almost never had to stop for a shoe break. The gaiters got pretty torn up by barbed wire fences, so were ready to be replaced by trip’s end at Cumbres Pass.

My Helios wide-brimmed hat was not enough to keep my face and neck from burning when hiking all day, especially when the sun was low in the sky. I needed to pin my bandana with safety pins on the brim for more shade.

The Caldera cooking system used on the AT performed well, but requires a separate plastic canister for storage. I tried transitioning to a home-made stove/windscreen/pot-support that fits inside my 0.5 liter pot for compact storage and to save weight. Plenty of wind can be expected on the CDT, so a good functioning wind screen is essential for alcohol stoves. I experimented with making several alcohol stove designs, but was not able to improve on the Caldera for cooking time and fuel use when I measured performance, so I stayed with the older equipment.

The Sawyer filter worked great, and was similar in weight to a Steripen, so I will keep using. I did include the syringe for backwashing the filter, and certainly needed it for New Mexico. During the day I kept the Sawyer screwed onto one of two 2-liter plastic soda bottles, stored in the lower outer side pockets of the pack. The soda bottles squeezed just as easily as a platypus bottle, and were quite durable and inexpensive. Do not screw on the filter too hard on the bottle threads, or you will chew up the washer and cause leakage during filtering.

I am used to hiking in shorts, but switched to long pants this trip for sun protection. The RailRiders performed well, did not bind at the knees, and allowed ventilation with the side zippered mesh.

Related Posts:

• AT2012 Equipment Redux
• AT 1988 Equipment List
• CDT 2013 NM Trail Journal Part 1
• CDT 2013 NM Trail Journal Part 2